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The Democracy of Terra
"We called these mountains home a thousand years before you knew what a mountain was, we'll still be here a thousand more after you've forgotten." - Terran saying History The huge halls of the Terran Democracy are imposing, carved inside mountains and under the ground. This society of Dwarves has been around since the mid-to-late Elven era, each generation digging further and deeper into the earth on the hunt for exquisite jewels and metal ores. Originally formed by Dwarves who grew tired of the Elven society their ancestors were forced into and wanted to resurrect the cave-dwelling lifestyle of their ancestors but keep the creature comforts of the Elven Domains, the Democracy of Terra was officially recognized as a government by the Ancient Elves during the Winter Kingdom's rise, as they had need of their skill and smithing to fight off the attacking orcs, drow, and undead. In these troubled times, the Dwarves discovered something... calling it "The Under", it is a labyrinthine demon's nest of vile and villainous creatures that seeks to rise up to the world above and destroy everything. This has led to the Deepguard becoming more prevalent in Dwarven political matters. Politics The Terrans are one of the few democratic societies. The leader of the mines is known as the Adjudicator, or Mine-King. They are elected by popular vote of all non-casteless Dwarves above the age of fifty to see to the decisions for the future of the mine. The Adjudicator office is re-elected when the current holder is incapable of maintaining the rank (Through death, illness, etc.). It is not uncommon for those unhappy with the Adjudicator to stage a coup d'etat, killing the current Mine-King and forcing an election. This sort of assassination has become (mostly) commonplace amongst Terran nobility, and it's generally seen that if you can get away with it you are clearly more useful alive than in prison or dead. The Mine King rules over the Tribunal, a court of representatives of each noble family in the city. The Tribunal does not require attendance at every meeting, and for many meetings nobles will either not attend or send a representative, unless summoned personally by the Mine King. Laws and orders are decided upon by Decree of the Mine King, based on petition. A petition must have a minimum of three Noble Families of the city's signatures upon it and be ratified by a Clergyman, before it will be put to the Mine King. the Mine King will then decide whether to form a Decree on this issue, or pass on it. Many kings have been killed for refusing to pass into law a petition that has the backing of influential families. Clergy Taking the form of Grave Domain and Death Comain clerics, though Forge are not unheard of, the Clergy are an incredibly powerful force within the mines. Often times their hand is found to be holding the proverbial knife in many of the coup d'etats of the mines. The Clergy are also in charge of deciding which Dwarves have achieved greatness enough to become Ancestor Gods. As such, they hold the key to advancement through the ranks of castes for those born in the working caste or lower. Nobles Considered to be a higher existence than other parts of the society, the Noble classes live in a secluded part of the city that none but Nobles and Clergy may enter without invitation. This area includes the political halls and other such institutions, making rising from the lower-caste to political power nearly impossible. Potential Noble families are chosen through great achievements, such as being a powerful warrior or discovering a new technology, after which they must gain three signatures of noble families on a petition and the approval of the Clergy to petition the King for recognition. Although they have no choice but to accept the ruling of the king, Noble families will often look down upon those attempting to achieve this Recognition, and will try to stop the petition from gathering the requirements for it to ever see the Tribunal. A family may be cast down by the Mine King should they be seen as damaging the collective interest of the mine. Noble families have a seat in the Tribunal of their parent city, where elections and hearings are held. Working Caste If you're not Noble, you're a worker. That's the state of mind of the Terrans. Those who can't work are exiled and become casteless. Those who can are set to mine or forge, depending on their abilities. Should a member of your family become venerated as an Ancestor by the clergy of your home city, and you are able to obtain the required signatures, a member of the Working Caste may petition the Mine King to be Recognized as a Noble family. Sometimes, a worker may strive to join the clergy, but despite the clergy supposedly welcoming "All" into it's reaches, the truth is that only the children of Noble families ever seem to be accepted in their divine ranks. Guardian Caste The Guardian Caste are Working Caste who have taken up positions guarding the outer walls. They get the most exposure to sunlight, from the small holes that their cannons aim by, as well as through the outer door, and are often considered to be borderline Casteless and dangerously close to insanity from exposure to the sun. Casteless Also called "Exiles", Casteless are dwarves who have left the mines to live in the outside world. They renounce all personal property and titles left in the mines and are considered to be outsiders for the rest of their lives. Although many chose this life, those forced into it through legal punishment are often unstable and miserable under the sky, and live short lives full of danger, often ending in death-seeking behaviours or suicide. Millitary There is no official Military branch of the mines, but in self-defense non-vital Worker caste put their axes to use. As children are taught military practices from a young age, effectively every able-bodied dwarf in the shafts is a soldier waiting for the call. For most issues, the corps known as the Deepguard serve as protectors and arbitrators in criminal cases, hunting down fleeing captives and fighting off creatures from The Under. The Law and Criminality Banishment is the most common punishment for Actions Unfitting of a Miner. For severe infractions, the criminal may retain some of their family's Honour if they choose to instead sign on with the Dead Watchmen- those who guard the lower tunnels from the dangers of the Underworld. A death, to be sure, but a death in honour is better for many dwarves than a life in disgrace. To decide upon guilt, a member of a Noble family must be notified of the crime. They will then conduct what investigations they see fit before deciding the guilt or innocence of the defendant. In cases where more than one noble family is involved and they conclude the opposite of each other, the decision is left in the hands of the family who have the greater Honour. Sentences are typically decided upon by the family of the victim, as well as the victim themselves if they are alive. Should no family remain, the Mine King decides if the crime is worthy of punishment in the Tribunal. If no resolution is found through these methods, all dwarven castes have a right to Trial by Combat- also known as a duel. The accuser and the defendant are pitted in combat in the city's arena, and the last one standing is considered the moral superior. It is seen as somewhat dishonourable to have someone else fight for you in this battle, but not unheard of. Technology The Dwarves are quite advanced when it comes to mining. The depths they have gone to require a system of technological and clockwork masterpieces such as elevators to descend in any time, and the underwater tram that connects the Dwarves of the Royaume to the Commonwealth is incredibly advanced and high-tech, moving at speeds nearly unheard of by above-ground standards. Dwarves also created the first cannons, lining the outer walls of their great cities with them, the small hole the barrel sticks out of is the closest most dwarves ever get to the sky without becoming Casteless (Although many go sky-mad and choose to become Casteless after spending enough time in these posts). Geography The Terrans live in underground and in-mountain hive-cities, each connected to the others through large underground tramways. The Terran Democracy is most commonly entered through the cities in the mountain ranges in the west of the Commonwealth and the east of the Royaume. Many of the larger cities are only accessible through the subterranean tram networks, though. Society The Society of the Terrans is fraught with simple complexities. Workers are not allowed into the Inner Halls of the kingdom, instead living in the exterior halls apart from when assigned a guard duty. Guards are stationed at various points, typically swearing allegiance to one noble house or another. Outside of the entrance to each city are frequently the Casteless cities, these are the homes to Dwarves who chose to interact with the outside world and live under the sky. This is the closest most travellers will get to entering a Dwarven society, as the price to enter the central pillar that leads into the city below is often exorbitant and unpayable. Terran society is founded on Honour. What you achieves honours one's family and their Ancestor, and your failures similarly dishonour it. Certain activities are considered as okay for an honoured family, and punishable by death or worse for the not-honourable or even the Casteless. Food and Drink Traditional Terran diet consists of various fungi and mushrooms that can be found in the caves, stewed or in a broth, and Bittercrop- a harsh, bitter, and tangy vegetable with a meaty texture that provides protein. Though they are willing to trade with outsiders in the Welcoming Halls, meats and vegetables tend to be expensive and outside the price range of the non-Noble caste. There are some Casteless who willingly chose to become so, they live in settlements outside the gates, hunting wild animals for the money they can sell them for at the Welcoming Halls Market of their home city. Clothing The attire of dwarves is heavy on thick plates of metal and chainmail, and light on comfort. It is seen as impractical and dangerous to live underground without proper protective attire, due to the possibility of mine-shaft collapse. This, along with the Dwarves' height, gives them all the appearance of being rather rotund, despite being heavily muscled. Helmets used to be considered an all-time item, but this has been relaxed, most dwarves will shun their helmet when not working. Clergy wear cloth robes over their armor, while those associated with noble families (such as the family or guards and servants) will wear a small cloth tabard with the family crest on it. Nobles themselves wear furs over and under their armor, as well as other imported-from-the-outside materials to show off their wealth. "Fur-to-the-neck" is a slur in these circles, implying that the insulted's family have only enough money to afford fur on the outside of their armor, but inside is still bare metal. Outside of the cities, Casteless Dwarves wear furs and less metal, due to their inability to mine for ore. Marriage and Family Dwarves do not enter marriages, instead signing mutually-beneficial temporary marriage contracts for the production of offspring and temporary merging of assets. Should the Contractor die, their money and possessions are left to their children, so it is not uncommon for sickly dwarves to try and enter into a contract with another to use their resources and leave all of their money untouched for inheritance. The idea of pledging yourself to one person for a potentially-fleeting emotion such as "Love" is seen as weird and alien, but there are still some who constantly renew their contracts out of attachments to one another, even becoming casteless to get married in a government that allows such things. Marriage between two people where one is of lower caste, causes the higher-caste to lose face and social standing. Marriage between the Casteless and those of any caste is forbidden. Family is seen as a big deal, as one who has the same name as you shares their Honour and Dishonour with you. As such, it is not uncommon for families to discreetly eliminate dishonourable relatives, framing such things as accidents or illness. A Dwarven Family can be seen as an allegiance of enemies, especially in the Noble caste. Popularity Engravings on axes and armor are a must, with "Breast-plates" that are shaped like a woman's chest taking off for female dwarves who wish to show off their femininity. Some young dwarf men and women have even taken to the outrageous wearing of Kilts with their armor, shocking the elder generations. Education As a child a Dwarf is taught to swing an axe, mine, and never to go outside. Beyond this, Nobles and Clergy are taught literacy. Advanced mathematics is not taught beyond practical stages (Calculating the amount of gold in a seam, or monetary trades, for example.) Medicine The Nobles have treatment from the Clerics available to them, while the working caste must make do with toughing it out or seeking medicine from the Casteless doctors or occasional travelling clerics who stop by in the Welcoming Hall. A lot of dwarves still see seeking out help for such things as a sign of weakness and a waste of money, preffering to work until they get better or exile themselves if they can no longer function. Species and Religion All Terrans are Dwarves. Not all Dwarves are Terrans, though they all probably have some ancestor from the mines. They follow The Ancestor Gods, a religion based on venerating the achievements of the past and remembering those who achieved great things for the mines. Death in the Terran Democracy Death is treated as a celebration by the Terrans. Instead of mourning the deceased, they publically sing out the achievements of the dead, chanting their name as they do. During this time, there is much drinking. The closest loved ones of the deceased are not expected to buy their own drinks- and it could be seen as a form of disgrace to allow them to, even if you do not know them yourself. Once this is done, each mourner is given a chance to hold the weapon of the deceased- or if they owned no weapon, a suitable substitute such as a hammer or paintbrush- and relate a story of the deceased to the gathered mourners, often one of humourous or meaningful intent, the mourners then drink to the story. Once all the stories that need to be told are told (And some take many turns), the deceased is taken in their full armor and moved via cart into the lowest levels of the mines, to be cast into Lava and "Become one with the Stone." For those who die outside of the mines, a suitable location such as water may be substituted. Finally, the Weapon of the deceased is carved with their name and given pride of place in their family shrine, or in the home of one of their friends if no family is left, for at least a decade until it is melted down symbolically. Bathing and Utilities Bathing is considered a waste of water, and vaguely unpleasant and unhygenic. Fortunately, the armor hides most of the body odour. The Mines have an efficient and highly-modern plumbing and sewage system, with flushing toilets in incredibly private chambers. Taboos Drinking is seen and celebrated as a part of culture, but being drunk in the mines is an outright felony- not to mentiuon dangerous. Drug use is treated much the same for the most part, with many dwarves becoming habitual smokers. As to a Dwarf, their work is their life and honour, to steal the achievements of others and claim them as your own is seen as grave disrespect, and a criminal act as well. When someone offers their name with a title, you are expected to refer to them by that title as a show of respect to their honour, particularly if that title places them above you. Correspondingly, to lie about having a title is an illegal act, punishable by death, exile, or worse. Being seen without armor is a huge cultural no-no, and anyone who is seen so much as without their shoulderpads is considered to be underdressed. It is not uncommon for a dwarf to act like they have been stripped naked after losing their breastplate alone, despite still wearing two layers of chainmail. Public displays of affection beyond hugging are seen as grotesque and unnecessary. To turn down a drink bought for you is seen as a faux pas, as is to not respond in kind by buying another drink. Staring directly at the sky, though incredibly rare for a non-casteless dwarf, is considered ''seriously ''bad luck, and also bad for you, mentally. Dwarves who risk direct exposure (Such as Cannoneers) are often treated as though they might go insane at any moment. Most Dwarves are scared of the sky. Category:Factions Category:Democracy of Terra Category:Societies